Never Give Up
by Dreamers Never Lie
Summary: He didn't fall in love with her hair. But they'll get through it all because they're survivors.
1. Chapter 1

Never Give Up

 _He didn't fall in love with her hair._

 _But they'll get through it all because they're survivors._

Chapter One: A Dreadful Secret

* * *

Reba Hart paced her living room as she awaited her family's arrival. She had sounded frantic on the phone, that much she knew, but she had no idea how to calm herself down. Her heart boomed in her chest, her muscles tightening all around it. She felt trapped, trapped in this state of anxiety with no way out.

Her hands were clenched tightly, her long nails digging into her palms; the pain giving her temporary relief from the dreadful feeling inside of her chest. She continued to pace, knowing full well if she stopped, she would lose it. Everything around her would collapse into a pile of rubble and she would be trapped underneath it, unable to get up. Her family didn't need to see her like that, not until they knew what was going on.

Reba didn't want to do this. She wanted to run, away from this world, away from everything. But it had already been a month and she had no choice. She tried waiting for the right time, but there never seemed to be one. She didn't scare easily, but at this very moment, she was petrified.

Brock and Barbara Jean burst through her front door and Reba felt some relief at the familiarity of their action. Everything was about to change, the idea of having some normalcy despite it all was comforting.

"Reba? What's wrong? It sounded urgent." Barbara Jean was quickly by her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. Concern filled both of their eyes as she was sure they were going over and over the possible scenarios in their minds.

Brock stood by the door, his eyes wide like saucers and his hands deep in his pockets. Reba could tell that he, too, was scared. He knew her better than anyone, so he could tell just by looking into her eyes when something was wrong.

"The kids will be here shortly, but I wanted both of you to hear the news before I break it to them. You might want to sit down." She nodded her head towards the couch.

"Reba – "

"Please, just sit."

Barbara Jean pressed her lips tightly together and listened to the redhead, Brock following her actions. Reba felt her stomach churn and her nerves gripping tightly at her chest. How was she supposed to do this? She had handled everything thrown at her over the years, but how was she supposed to do _this?_ For once in her life, she was lost and scared and unsure of what to do next.

She hadn't said it aloud because as soon as she spoke those words, everything became real. Until now, it was something only she had known about. It was a secret, one she wished she didn't have to tell. But alas, here she is.

"Reba, honey, you are scaring us. Please tell us why we are here." Brock leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees and staring intently at her. She could tell by his use of the word "honey" that he was freaking out just as much as she was and she felt a jolt of courage pass through her chest. She stopped her pacing in front of the couch and looked at her two friends. This was it. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the words she was about to speak. Her hands were shaking and she quickly rubbed them against her jeans.

"I, um," her voice began to shake and she hadn't even told them the news yet. She rolled her eyes back into her head and dug down deep inside of her to find the last shred of strength she had. "I have cancer."

Brock and Barbara Jean's eyes went wide and they both sat back against the couch in synch. The room went a deafening quiet and all Reba could hear was the sound of her heart beating in her chest. Had they heard her? Did she finally say those words out loud? She could feel her panic rising once again, how she wished this was all just a dream.

"No." Barbara Jean finally managed to mutter, her words taking Reba by surprise. "No." She could hear the tears in her friend's voice and felt her own forming in the back of her eyes.

Barbara Jean stood from the couch and looked at Reba, her eyes watering, and paused for a moment. "No." She shook her head and looked to the ground for a split second before exiting the room. She was in denial that much was obvious. Reba had been there, too, a month ago.

She turned her attention to Brock who had yet to say a word. He sat there with his hands entwined in his lap and stared blankly at the wall in front of him. Reba stood there patiently, clasping and unclasping her hands as she rocked back and forth on her heals, waiting for him to say something, _anything_.

Suddenly, he stood from the couch and rubbed his palms against the jeans he wore. He didn't say a word as he walked passed her and towards the door. She could see the calmness in his movements and felt concern wash over her. He was in shock.

"Brock." Her words hit him in the back of his head and he stopped walking and stood in front of the door. Reba watched his back as his head fell and he stared at the floor. He wasn't going to leave, not after Barbara Jean had already walked out, and she knew that. Just like her, he didn't know how to handle this. It had come as a shock to her, so she could only imagine how dumbfounded he was at this very moment.

Reba began to move towards him, but stopped when she heard his breath become heavy and saw his hands form into fists. Before she could stop him, he swung his fist out in front of him and connected with the door. She shuddered at the loud thud it made, knowing how much that must've hurt him, but jumped when he did it again and again.

 _Bang._

 _Bang._

 _Bang._

She quickly ran towards him and gripped his shoulder. "Brock! Stop! Stop it right now!" She tried to pull him away from the door, but he was too strong. Finally, she pushed him out of the way enough for her to squeeze in between him and the door. She grabbed his face and looked deeply into his eyes and that's when she saw every ounce of pain they contained.

"Stop."

His shoulders fell and his body softened under her touch. He stepped back, causing her small hands to fall from his cheeks, and covered his mouth with his hand. He looked towards the ceiling and inhaled sharply. Reba wanted to scream, to cry, for the pain she was feeling and for the pain this would bring upon her family.

"Are you sure?" His words were a whisper and the weakness in his voice latched onto her heart and squeezed for dear life. She saw the glisten in his eyes and knew the news was ripping him into two. She felt everything she'd tried to hide deep inside of her, crawling up her ribcage, scratching against her walls, desperately begging for light.

 _Are you sure?_ His questioned echoed in her mind, breaking her heart with the innocence that shadowed it. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to stop the tears from falling, but as she nodded her head in response to his question, the salty liquid began to stain her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Brock felt all of the air leave his body, like he'd been hit by a semi-truck. _This could not be happening._ He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to regain his composure. He needed to be strong, not only for his family, but for Reba as well.

He opened his eyes and immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close. Her body shook against him as she let out all of the fear she had been holding in. God, she was so strong, but for once in her life, she needed someone else to be that for her.

"We'll get through this, I promise you."

Brock rested his chin on top of her head and held her as close as he possibly could. Her arms remained at her sides and he understood just how broken she was at that very moment.

After a few minutes had passed, Reba had finally calmed down for the time being. Despite their divorce, she was thankful they had remained friends. She wasn't sure she could go through this without him. He kissed the top of her head and pulled away from her body so he was able to look into her eyes. He had a soft look in his eyes which calmed her even more.

"Let me make us some tea and you can tell me everything I need to know before the kids get here. I'm not going to let you do this alone, sweetheart." He pinched her chin gently and forced a smile, more for her sake than his.

Reba nodded and when he reached down to her side and wrapped his hand around hers, she didn't pull away. She let him lead her into the kitchen and smiled when he pulled out one of the tall, green chairs from the counter and nodded for her to sit.

She watched his back as he leaned over the counter and waited for the kettle to boil. Her secret was out in the open and she felt her load lighten, even if it only lasted for a short while. She jumped at the click of the kettle and watched the hot water steam as Brock poured it into their mugs. It wisped and whirled around in the air, dancing before disappearing as it hit the ceiling.

Brock set the mug of tea down in front of her and climbed up onto the chair next to her. Her hands immediately wrapped around her favourite mug and she enjoyed the warmth coursing across her palms. Seven years had passed, but he still knew which mug was the one she preferred.

"I can't image how hard this is for you, Reba, but try to tell me everything. I need to know every single detail so I know what I'm talking about when I tell the kids." He moved his hand to her knee and rubbed his fingers in soothing circles, something he had always done when she was upset.

"Brock, you – "

"Yes, I do. You've got enough to worry about, let me do this. Please."

"Thank you." He nodded and silence quickly fell between them. She didn't know where to start, or even how to start. Her thoughts were jumbled, scattered, and she found it hard to focus on the right words to say.

"Two months ago, I started waking up every night covered in sweat. I tried fans, I tried everything, but nothing seemed to work. So, I chalked it up to hot flashes and figured I was going through menopause. After a month or so, I noticed a drop in my weight and lack of colour in my face. Nothing drastic, no one else seemed to notice and again, I figured it was all part of my change in hormones. But one morning, I was putting on my deodorant and I noticed a lump in my armpit. I mean, Brock, it was big enough that could see it and I knew something was not right." Reba stopped talking and took a shaky breath as memories of that day flooded her mind. He patted her knee and urged her to continue.

"So, I made an appointment with my doctor and he told me my lymph nodes were swollen. I had only noticed the one under my arm, but the ones in my neck were swollen, too, apparently. Long story short, he ran some blood tests and did a biopsy on my lymph nodes and found that I have Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma."

"Wow." Brock was literally speechless. How could this be happening to their family? How could this be happening to Reba? This was a journey she did not deserve. She has spent every single moment of her life doing the right thing. A day hasn't passed by where she hasn't put everyone she loves in front of herself. She's the light in their family and he could not handle seeing that light go out.

"Yeah, apparently I'm already in stage three which means it has spread to several of my lymph nodes, but hasn't wormed its way into any of my organs yet. It's not ideal, but at least they caught it before stage four. Dr. Richardson hasn't figured out the exact plan yet, but I will be going through chemo. I have an appointment on Wednesday to get all of the details."

He felt sweat cover his palms and his breath catch in his throat. Stage three? Chemotherapy? Why couldn't it have been him? Why _her?_

"Does it hurt?" The idea of Reba being in pain chilled him to the bone. He didn't know how this went.

"Not really. I get a pain in my abdomen every now and again and my lymph nodes are tender, but other than that, no. I can feel it inside of me, though. It's a weird feeling. Kind of like a dark cloud hangin' around. I know it sounds silly and I can't really describe it, but it's true. You know that feeling when you have an unwanted visitor standin' outside of your door? Like that."

Brock nodded and Reba felt her cheeks turn red when she realized she had bared her feelings to him. She wasn't usually one to do that voluntarily.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Reba stared at her reflection in her tea. Why hadn't she told anyone? She had tried, had wanted to, but every time she did, something stopped her, told her not to. Maybe it was her fear or maybe it was that stubbornness she was famous for.

"I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure. I was scared, Brock. No one in my family has ever had cancer."

She turned to face him and the look in her eyes broke his heart.

"Oh, honey." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "After I tell the kids, we're going to figure this out. And I'm coming to that appointment Wednesday, no arguments."

* * *

 **I've only written this one chapter and I'm posting it to see if my readers are interested in this story. It's based on the song "I Didn't Fall in Love With Your Hair" by Brett Kissel and Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Read it and let me know what you think. I heard the song and knew immediately that I wanted to try something different.**


	2. Chapter 2

Never Give Up

 _He didn't fall in love with her hair._

 _But they'll get through it all because they're survivors._

Chapter Two: A Weight Lifted

* * *

After Brock had finished talking, the room went a deafening quiet as Cheyenne, Van, Kyra, and Jake sat in front of them with their eyes as wide as saucers. Brock's hand rested on Reba's knee, his thumb moving in soothing circles, and she had never been more thankful for his presence than she was now.

"Mrs. H, you have… cancer?"

Reba could hear the hurt and confusion that laced Van's voice and she felt a shattering in her chest once again. How was she supposed to protect them from this? All she could do was nod her head and right on cue, she watched all of the walls around her crumble to the ground.

Van took in a shaky breath and put his head in his hands. Kyra immediately stood from the chair that sat under the window that connected the living room to the kitchen and pulled her mother into a tight embrace. Jake walked over to Brock and the two could see the fear in his eyes.

"Dad?"

Reba tried to breathe through Kyra's hair and looked to Brock, trying desperately to get him to help Jake. He quickly pulled the boy down onto the couch next to him, wrapping his strong arm around his shoulders.

"It's going to be okay, buddy."

Kyra finally let go of her mother and sat next to her with her arm draped around her shoulders.

"I love you, mom." Reba smiled at her youngest daughter's words before turning to Cheyenne who had yet to say anything.

"I – I just don't understand. You can't have cancer."

"Honey…"

"No, mom, you just can't. You're _mom_ , you're the strongest one in this family. You can't."

"Cheyenne – " Van tried to place a hand on the small of her back, but she only pulled away from him.

"No, Van. This is mom we're talking about, you don't understand. She can't _die._ "

Reba felt all of the air leave her body as those last three words hit her ears. Tears were streaming down Cheyenne's face and suddenly she wished it was twenty years ago when she could've picked her up in her arms and protected her from the harshness of the world.

"Shut up, Cheyenne! Why would you say that?" Kyra stood from her seat on the couch and shouted at her sister who stood at the opposite end of the couch.

"Die?" Jake muttered and Brock pulled him closer. He had to stop this. This whole situation was starting to spiral out of control.

Kyra and Cheyenne were yelling back and forth, and Brock was trying so desperately to get them to stop. The silence that had filled the room before had completely vanished and was replaced with incessant bickering and Reba could feel a headache beginning to form. She couldn't take this any longer.

She placed her thumb and index finger between her lips and whistled loudly, causing their voices to come to a halt. Everyone turned to face her and it didn't take long for all of their cheeks to flush.

"Everyone, sit down." Reba spoke harshly and they all sat. She inhaled deeply before continuing on. "Now listen, I know you are all scared, I am, too. But you cannot do this. You cannot fight against each other like this. Now more than ever we need to come together as a family. I need to know that you guys will support and help each other because there will be times when I won't be able to do that."

Cheyenne and Kyra both looked down into their laps, instantly feeling the guilt wash over them.

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too."

"Good. Now I'm going to have to go through chemotherapy and I may start to look a little… different. I don't know all the details yet, but I'll find out on Wednesday at my doctor's appointment."

"I'm going with you."

Reba held her hand up into the air signalling Cheyenne to stop.

"No need, Cheyenne, your father's going to come." She felt Brock squeeze her knee and turned to smile at him.

"Oh."

"And y'all are going to come over that night and have dinner with us so we can relay all of the information to you."

Everyone nodded and silence filled the room once again. Reba felt a sense of relief wash over her. Keeping that secret from her family had been the hardest thing she had ever had to do, but now that it was out in the open she felt a sliver of her strength return. She had never been one to hide.

"Mom?" Jake's quiet voice brought everyone out of their thoughts. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, honey." Reba gave him her warmest smile and reached over Brock, nudging his knee encouragingly. She knew there would be questions, how could there not be questions? Even she had questions.

"Can we have a movie night? You know, like we used to when Cheyenne and Van still lived here?"

Reba's smile reached her ears when the innocence of his question hit her. She stood from her seat on the couch and pulled Jake into a bone shattering hug, swaying from side to side.

"Oh, I sure do love you."

"Mom… I can't breathe." Jake managed to croak out as all of the air in his chest seemed to vanish. Reba blushed and let go of him after messing his hair for a quick second.

"What do yah say, gang?" She wrapped a motherly arm around Cheyenne and pulled her close. She wanted to help her children forget their pain for as long as she could and Jake's idea was the perfect way to do that.

"I'm in."

"Me, too."

"I'd like that."

Reba nodded her head triumphantly and squeezed Cheyenne. "Well then, it's settled, Jakey, a movie night it is!"

They all grinned and giggle in unison before Kyra asked the obvious question:

"Where's Barbara Jean?"

Reba had been so caught up in their moment, she had completely forgotten about Barbara Jean. She thought she'd be back by now and the fact that she wasn't worried her. Reba opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Brock watched Reba hesitate and quickly stood, placing a hand on the small of her back.

"She didn't take the news as well as you guys did. She went for some air, she shouldn't be too much longer."

The kids seemed to accept that answer and Reba turned to Brock and smiled, silently thanking him.

"Why don't you guys pick out the movie while I go make us some popcorn?" Van and Jake jumped from their seats and raced to the cabinet underneath the television. "And no horror movies!" She narrowed her eyes and pointed at the boys who groaned at her words.

Reba giggled to herself and walked into the kitchen, finally able to let out the breath that she had been holding in. That went better than she thought it would and she was so grateful to have Brock by her side during that time. She couldn't even imagine having to do that on her own.

She walked over to the cupboard next to the fridge and pulled it open. She spotted the popcorn and reached for the top shelf. As she closed the small door, she felt her skeleton leap out of her body when she noticed Barbara Jean standing next to her.

"Barbara Jean! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She held a hand to her chest and tried to catch her breath.

Barbara Jean jumped back a step and bugged her eyes. "Oh, my lord, Reba, I'm so sorry! Did I make _it_ worse?" She began to hyperventilate and wave her arms in the air. "I'm so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Barbara Jean, calm down. It doesn't work like that." She placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder hoping to calm her down before she took it to the next level.

"It doesn't?" She stopped hyperventilating and looked at her friend with wide eyes.

"No."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Reba turned her back and walked to the microwave, placing the bag on the turn table and shutting the door.

"I'm sorry I walked out." Her voice was quiet and calm. She'd never heard Barbara Jean's voice take that tone before. She figured the woman didn't have a quiet voice.

"It's okay. I wanted to walk out of the room, too, when I found out." She turned and gave Barbara Jean a small smile.

"You'll get through this, you know? _We'll_ get through this." Barbara Jean put a hand on Reba's shoulder and Reba just smiled and nodded. She wanted to say something, but she knew she couldn't. If she spoke, she was afraid she'd cry once again.

"C'mere." The blonde said as she pulled the redhead into a hug, but rather than pushing her away, Reba hugged back tightly, thankful for the warmth and closeness of her friend. Lord knows, she'd miss her if she were ever gone.

* * *

Cheyenne and Van had left, Kyra and Jake were asleep on the couch, and Reba, Brock, and Barbara Jean were making work of the mess they had left behind. They had just finished two Austin Powers movies in a row and Reba swore her sides hurt so much from laughing – maybe not so much from the movie itself, but from her family joking and laughing around her. It was a sight that filled her heart with warmth and she wanted to hold onto that feeling for as long as possible.

Brock placed the dirty popcorn bowls in the sink with a clank and rested his palms on the cool tile surrounding it. He eyed Reba as she set the dirty glasses on the counter top. She had managed to turn a bad situation into a good one and he had no idea how she did it. He knew she was terrified, yet she managed to turn that into a family night and all thoughts of cancer were lost. Well, except for his.

All he could think about during the movies was Reba and the journey to come. He had to admit, he was also scared. He couldn't bear to see this woman in pain. She was his best friend, the love of his life, and the last thing he wanted to see, the very last thing, was her in pain. He remembered when they first got married and she had broken her leg skiing. Every time she would walk, whether it was from the couch or to the bathroom, he could see the pain in her eyes so he took it upon himself to carry her everywhere, just like he had when she was pregnant. Just like he would in the upcoming weeks if need be. It was the very least he could do.

Reba could feel Brock's eyes on her and it made her uncomfortable. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to treat her differently. She was still the same sassy Reba she had always been and she didn't want her family to forget that.

"Quit starin' at me." She said as she climbed onto one of the tall, green chairs that sat at the island.

"You're amazing, you know?"

"Knock it off." She brushed him off, wanting no weirdness between the two of them. They'd had enough of those moments to last them a life time.

"No, really. You turned that into a fun, family night. I don't know how you do it, how you always remain so strong."

"Well, I think technically it was Jake's doing, but thank you." She smiled at him and he looked as though he was about to say something, however Barbara Jean re-entered the room.

"Listen guys, I've been thinking." Reba turned in her chair and faced Barbara Jean.

"Oh lord, Brock, the woman's been thinking."

Brock tried to hide his giggle and Reba smirked at Barbara Jean.

"Ha. Ha. Glad to see you haven't lost that sense of humour yet, but I'm being serious, Reba."

Brock and Reba's smiles both fell immediately, giving Barbara Jean their full attention.

"What is it then?"

"When I left earlier I did a lot of thinking and I think Brock should move back in with you for a little while."

"WHAT?!" Reba and Brock both said in unison as Reba planted her boots on the ground and stood from her seat.

"Well yeah, you're going to need someone to care for you and the kids because you won't be able to. My grandmother had cancer and I've seen what it can do to a person. You won't be able to do this on your own, plus Cheyenne and Van don't live here anymore and I know you don't want me movin' in."

"She has a point, Reba. You'll need someone to cook and clean and drive the kids where they need to go. Well, Jake anyway. And there will be days when you won't be able to get out of bed, I'm sure."

"I hadn't really thought about that." Reba sat back into her chair and rested her head in her hand. Barbara Jean was right. She needed someone here to help her, and Van and Cheyenne had lives and kids of their own. And there was no way in heck that she was letting Barbara Jean move in with her. God, for once in her life she needed help. She didn't like that feeling.

"Why don't we wait until my doctor's appointment and we'll talk about it then?"


	3. Chapter 3

Never Give Up

 _He didn't fall in love with her hair. But they'll get through it all because they're survivors._

Chapter Three: The Game Plan

* * *

"Do you have any questions?"

Reba and Brock just sat in place, their eyes as wide as saucers. The amount of information her doctor had just spilled out was overwhelming and quite frankly, terrifying. Reba thought it would just be a short appointment to follow up on her last one. However, she was very wrong. She hadn't expected them to want to do chemotherapy so soon.

Brock turned to his right and placed a reassuring hand on her knee. They had just been bombarded with life-changing information and he, too, didn't know where to begin.

"Ms. Hart?" The older man repeated and leaned forward in his chair. "I know this is a lot of information to digest, but if you have any questions, now is the time to ask them. We need to kick-start this before the cancer spreads any further. You're only stage three, but there is nothing stopping it from spreading to your organs. Time is everything right now."

Reba closed her eyes at the word _cancer_ as if she were just stung by a bee. Her life had completely flipped upside down in such a short time. Never in her worst nightmares, did she ever think she would be sitting in this lifeless, white room having this conversation with a doctor whose face showed every difficult case he'd ever had. What if she was another?

"Tell us again how it works, but in layman terms this time." Brock spoke up and Reba placed her hand on his, squeezing and silently thanking him for stepping up. She needed a minute to compose herself.

"We will be giving you four cycles of chemotherapy which means you will have one week of therapy and then three weeks of rest, giving your body time to adjust to the treatment and recoup for the next round. Your therapy will be held here at the hospital in the chemo wing. We will be doing yours through an IV which means we will put a port into a vein close to your heart, probably on the inside of your left arm. It's the least disruptive place, we find. This will stay in your arm permanently for the entire duration of your treatment. This way we don't have to put an IV into you every time you come in."

Dr. Richardson paused and watched Reba as she took in this information. She had yet to speak and he needed to know whether or not she understood everything that he was saying.

"How long will I be here during the day?"

Brock felt relief wash over his entire body, she was asking questions which was a good sign.

"You'll be here for a few hours as we administer your dosage over the course of four days. As you can imagine, this may seem a little tedious so you'll want to consider bringing a friend or a family member to accompany you, maybe some books or your iPod – that kind of thing."

"Will I lose my hair?" She blurted out before the doctor could say anything further. Her voice was quiet and Brock watched her tap her fingers nervously against her thigh. He never even thought about the fact that she could very well lose all of her hair, but clearly she had.

Reba waited for the doctor's response. As silly as it sounds, this was one of her biggest concerns. Not the cancer itself, she was strong and she could fight this. She's always been a fighter with everything life has thrown her way and this time would be no different, but the idea of losing her hair? It felt like she'd be losing a part of herself. She was more than her hair, she knew that, but it was a major part of who she was. What if she lost that?

"Most likely. See, the chemotherapy targets the cancer cells that are growing and dividing very quickly and because our bodies are made up of many cells, the chemo can't distinguish between normal cells and cancer cells. The normal cells in your hair follicles and digestive system grow and divide quicker than other cells in your body which means they'll be targeted by the therapy. This is why you'll most likely lose your hair and become nauseous after your treatment."

Suddenly, it felt as if she were falling down a never ending hole. All of the information she had just been giving was flying through her mind and she could feel her nerves clawing at her chest. She wanted to yell, to scream at the top of her lungs, scare this thing inside of her away. The idea of sitting in a room for hours on end, having chemicals pumped into her veins that would not only fight the cancer, but herself as well was daunting. For Christ sake, she couldn't even ask for help when she got her laser eye surgery done, how was she supposed to for this?

Brock looked at Reba when silence engulfed the room around them. She looked down into her lap and her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was on the verge of a panic attack with good reason. If he were alone, he would be, too, but he had to be strong, for her and their family.

"When do you want to start?" Brock asked the question he knew Reba wanted the answer to. He wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He could feel a slight tremble moving throughout her body and gently rubbed her shoulder in soothing circles.

"I want to put the port in on Friday at ten and start the first round of chemo on Monday. Like I said, time is everything right now."

"Okay, we'll be here." Reba lifted her gaze from her lap and looked to Brock, who had spoken before she had a chance to respond, and then to Dr. Richardson.

"Do you have any more questions, Ms. Hart?"

"No, but I do have a request." He nodded his head, encouraging her to continue. "If we're goin' to be doin' this thing, you need to start callin' me Reba. Every time you say _Ms. Hart_ , I think of Brock's mom and lord knows that woman drives me crazy."

Dr. Richardson immediately broke out in a smile and so did Brock. There was the woman he had known and loved for the majority of his life, even if she was bad-mouthing his mother.

"You got it, Reba. I'll see you on Friday." He stood from his seat and so did Brock. The two men shook hands before Dr. Richardson left the room.

"That's my girl." Brock said as he held his hand out to her, pulling her from her seat and into an embrace.

She rested her cheek against his chest and allowed his strong arms to encircle her body. He rested his chin on her head and held her close for a moment. Reba had to admit, it felt good to have his support. Honestly, when she first found out the news, she thought she'd have to go through it alone. She should've known better. No matter where life took them, Brock always had her back. Even if he had cheated on her, there wasn't a day since that he wasn't around.

"Now let's get you home. The kids'll be there waitin' for news."

Reba nodded and pulled away from the warmth of his body. She followed Brock to the door, but paused before they could walk out and into the bustling hallways of the hospital.

"Thanks, Brock."

He turned around and gave her a soft smile, taking the hand that fell at her side and squeezing it one last time. "You don't have to thank me, sweetheart. I broke one vow, but I sure as heck am not goin' to break any others. You're my best friend, Red."

Reba looked down at her boots. If she looked into his eyes and the soft look she knew was on his face, she would surely break down and she'd done enough crying lately.

Instead, she wrapped an arm around his middle and he wrapped one around her shoulders. The two walked out of the hospital just like that and headed home. The kids would be waiting eagerly to hear the news.

* * *

"Monday? They want to start so soon?" Barbara Jean questioned as she paced the floor behind the couch. Reba laughed nervously and rubbed her palms against her jeans. Good lord, was this day over yet?

"Time is everything, apparently." She echoed the doctor's words and watched her children who seemed to be digesting the information well.

"I'm off Monday, so I can come with you and once my mat leave starts, I can come whenever you need me to." Cheyenne stood from her seat on the chair and placed a gentle hand on her mother's shoulder.

"I don't have any classes on Tuesday and I can skip band practice. The boys'll understand." Kyra's voice was soft; she had never seen this side of her feisty daughter before. She was growing up into an amazing young woman right before her eyes.

"Honey, you don't have to do that. I don't want to take you away from your life."

"Mom, I want to. You know how many times you've been there for me? Now it's my turn." Reba cooed and stood to hug both of her daughters.

"What did I do to deserve such wonderful girls?"

"I'll come Wednesday, Mrs. H. I don't have any appointments, just paperwork and I'll do anything to get outta that."

She pulled away from her daughters and sat back down next to Brock.

"Gee, thanks, Van."

"No, wait, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…"

She reached over to the chair that sat at the end of the coffee table and patted his knee. "I'm just messin' with you, honey." Van blew air out of his mouth, relieved that she was the same old Mrs. H who could overlook his stupid comments.

"And I'll come Thursday." Barbara Jean piped up from behind the sofa. "I'll bring knitting stuff. Oh, I can read to you again like I did when you got your eye surgery. Hey, and with all of the free time we'll have together, maybe we can finally start up that shirt business we wanted to years ago!" The more the woman talked, the more excited she became.

Reba looked to Brock, her eyes wide signalling she was looking for help. He only smirked and continued to stay silent.

"Sounds like a plan, Barbara Jean, but you don't have to read to me. I won't be blind this time."

"Right. You're so smart, Reba." She hit her forehead and rolled her eyes at herself.

Reba shot a look at Brock who was rubbing the space just below his nose in an attempt to hold his laughter in.

"And I'll be here afterwards. Every night, until your treatment is through." He finally said, resting a hand on her knee once again. Barbara Jean placed a hand on his shoulder from behind, taking a united front against the stubborn redhead who was sure to try and tell them she didn't need taking care of.

"We still have to talk about that, Brock."

"No, we don't. Barbara Jean was right to suggest it. You will need someone to help you out around here when you can't get out of bed. You heard what the doctor said, you'll be exhausted and weak."

"But…" She raised her hand trying desperately to interject, but Cheyenne beat her to it.

"Dad's right, mom, just let him help out."

"Yeah, mom, plus it'll be nice to have dad around, like old times." Jake finally spoke after staying quiet the entire time. A sad smile formed on Reba's lips, Jake hadn't had Brock around as much as the girls did growing up. Maybe this would be good for everyone.

"The practice is doin' well right now, so I'll be able to reduce my hours."

"And it'll give me a break from the ol' ball and chain."

Everyone went silent and turned their gazes towards Barbara Jean, who immediately stopped giggling to herself when she realized all eyes were on her.

"It was a joke!" Reba just rolled her eyes and turned back around. She was her friend now, but that didn't make her any less crazy.

"Okay, fine. But I don't want y'all babying me."

"We know, we know – _grrr, I'm Reba._ We get it, Mrs. H and we won't forget it."

Van smiled and she returned the gesture. Her family was stepping up more than she could ever have imagined. She could do this. She could kick cancer's ass and let it know that it picked the wrong family to mess with. They were Hart's, after all.


End file.
